Behaviour & Motivation Charts

Teachers in the Pontian Bandar Cluster have been focusing on Behaviour Charts through March.

Behaviour is vital to an effective learning environment. Without control over behaviour, learning is constantly full of distraction.  

Behaviour is also an important life-skill. Learning how to behave in different situations is important at all ages. Teachers can start teaching this important life-skill in the classroom. Good behaviour fosters effective learning.

Giving children parameters within which to act or behave enables a sense of safety;  knowing how to behave and expecting others to behave a certain way. Safety & the knowledge that one is acting appropriately fosters a positive sense of self-esteem & social harmony. Teachers have a fantastic opportunity to help children to learn this powerful skill.

Behaving can be fun. It should be fun. Children in schools should be motivated to behave. But how?

Teachers know their students, know what they like and what they would find fun, so it is possible, with a little creativity, and the help of students themselves, to create a really exciting Behaviour Chart. 

Getting children involved with the creation of a Behaviour Chart is important to its success. Children should feel that they took part in making it & that it was not imposed upon them.

The chart should be displayed in the classroom and be visible at all times to everyone. A positive or negative action should have an immediate effect on the chart, and all should see the effect an action takes.

Team Behaviour charts work well because teams will assist one another  to behave if the reward is a Team Reward. All Team Members have to behave in order to receive the reward. Thus, team members keep one another in check, rather than the teacher having to reprimand individuals each time.

The goal of good behaviour should be a fun reward that students aspire to winning. The reward should be decided when the chart starts. Children should know what they are playing / competing for. The reward should be visually shown to all students at the beginning of the game.

Rules of the chart should be constantly & consistently fair. If the teacher sometimes rewards certain behaviour, but other times not, the students will be confused. The teacher should be fair, equal, ethical and consistent every time for both punishment and reward. All teams should understand to trust & depend on these rules every lesson. Any error accidentally made in punishment or reward should be corrected instantly. A teacher whose rules are unclear or change will have a misbehaving class, however a teacher whose rules remain consistent and clear will have a class of angels most of the time. 

Most importantly, Behaviour Charts should be a fun activity for both students and their teachers!